Upperdark Creature Issues

[Tsidkenu]

Please post any bugs related to creatures in the new Upperdark Zone here.

Ice Paraelementals in the Upperdark: Blackrock are missing their elemental qualities (I could critically hit them).

[Storm Munin]

Baleful spiders in Kro Descent does not offer the save roll vs their webbing attack.
If there are a save, it is not revealed.

[Cubicle]

Baleful spiders have other issues as well. Replacing that spider. Both Baleful spider and Ice Paraelemental mods submitted.

This one is c/w

[Sputnik]

Baleful spiders now cast strange spells(for spiders anyway), give less XP, and don't drop loot like they did.

This has been mentioned in another thread... to which there was this reply:

snip

The item drop rate was not modified for that area.

This is false. Atleast in the case of the baleful spiders. They used to drop loot every time one was killed. Possibly because they were "boss" mobs. Now they drop loot at the normal rate.
To those with limited time to play, they were a decent source of IG income and experience....
Not so anymore.

Make baleful spiders great again!

[Cubicle]

A lot of players seem to know about these Baleful Spiders. Only 1 player came forth and told me about their high xp, another I asked in-game. High xp and higher item drops, that doesn't seem wrong? I made a mistake adding the previous Baleful Spider, so they're not coming back. I will only modify the spells.

[Sputnik]

A lot of players seem to know about these Baleful Spiders. Only 1 player came forth and told me about their high xp, another I asked in-game.

People generally don't do well with implied insults. If you've got something to say, man up and say it directly.

Moving forward, perhaps the reason that it wasn't reported is because players liked it and didn't see it as broken (example: http://bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=54875 )
Add to that the fact that this player was then lied to publicly by a member of staff...
If any other players had thoughts of bringing anything up, surely they were dispelled by that show of integrity.

High xp and higher item drops, that doesn't seem wrong?

Nope, it seems awesome. Like I mentioned, some people don't have a lot of time to grind levels and loot. I thought the server might be taking a turn for the better in that regard. I was obviously mistaken.

I made a mistake adding the previous Baleful Spider, so they're not coming back. I will only modify the spells.

You tease! Good to know all the same.

.........................................................

Honestly, I'm OK with mobs being modified and whatnot. If the staff thinks that there is a problem with something, I usually won't challenge it and will go along.

What I'm -not- OK with is the playerbase being lied to.
I'm not alone in this sentiment either... Food for thought.

[NegInfinity]

A lot of players seem to know about these Baleful Spiders. Only 1 player came forth and told me about their high xp,

Honestly, it would be nice to have the old spiders back even if they were granting less xp and no loot or reduced xp.

If anything, carrion crawlers in that location looked quite pointless, but spiders combined with mouthers provided decent challenge. I'd rather to have an enemy with undodgeable web than another spider that casts spells for no real reason.

One disappointing think about that location was that it wasn't connected to anything else.

[Cubicle]

Take that however you want, Sputnik. It was an exploit that players were abusing. It's not coming back.

I will remove the spells from the spiders and new areas will get added in time.

[Kagger911]

Take that however you want, Sputnik. It was an exploit that players were abusing. It's not coming back.

I will remove the spells from the spiders and new areas will get added in time.

Killing a mob to gain xp and to get loot drops is an exploit. Guess grinding is an exploit too.

[Cubicle]

Sure, if the mob is dropping 3 - 4 times the xp and items after almost every kill, then yes, that can be exploited. If you feel differently about that, try starting a poll or asking the DMs. If they feel the same way you do, I'll change it back, np's.

Are there any other issues involving other newly added creatures in the Upperdark?

[NegInfinity]

Sure, if the mob is dropping 3 - 4 times the xp and items after almost every kill, then yes, that can be exploited.

Look, this kind of opinion is the reason why nobody reported it. If a creature gives 3x xp by "accident", then whoever reports it have a chance of getting punished for that "accident".

Besides, shortly after I found that area, I saw QC running through it, so it was natural to assume that whatever is wrong with it will be reported.

As other's said BG could really use higher xp rate (2x..4x), so the change was welcome.

Either way there's no point in getting upset about it.

Are there any other issues involving other newly added creatures in the Upperdark?

Larger spiders in Kro's Labyrinth are spamming ray of enfeeblement now, it was better before when they weren't doing it. I mean, spiders aren't supposed to have any magic on them.

[Akroma666]

Gentlemen, this is a bug reporting thread, here to assist QC, not a discussion board. Let's not get off the rails please.

Back on topic

[Storm Munin]

AFAIK no one has ever been punished for willingly and timely having reported a suspected bug or exploit.
On the contrary, on occasion when chosing to report as a nonmember of QC (at the time) it did earn my toon a tiny token of appreciation (think small numbers of coin or xp).
Not every time in any way, but on occasion.


As for the Baleful Spider:
The QC initially reported that the spiders had issues, the developer chose to act.
Business as usual.

Personally I wouldnt mind having the webcasting spiders back.
Unfailing entrapment seemed most borked to me however and were the ground to my initial report.
Particularly since no save were visualy presented while FoM spell saved the day.
Improved evasion? *gleeful cackling echo out from the shadows*

Doing a few laps in there did raise an eyebrow at the xp of the spiders, when they were present.
Thinking it was WAD to compensate for the neverfailing web and possibly CR I failed to make comment on that part, mea culpa.
XP has been higher at some few areas in the past, a lv1 party leecher could gain 118xp per kill from the stonespear goblins back in the day.


Moving on:
Having visited what I think are most of the upperdark by now the major glare I find about it are the very swift changes of CR between areas.
Since pretty much all of the upperdark areas are in the path of one exit or another the chaotic shifts in CR grow annoying (while exploring at least).
For a new toon/player some of the shifts must be nasty surprises.

Usually CR is low near an exit and then increase towards the center, this is not always so btw (Troll Claw cave area come to mind).
Perhaps consistency should be considered.
Unless some areas are supposed to be newbie breeders I humbly suggest tweaking the CR of creatures to a more similar level across the areas of the upperdark.
The areas of the upperdark that lead to other exits anyway.


Overall I am thoroughly enjoying the upperdark addition if that did not come across above.
Thank you developers.

/M

[lilani]

Just a quick note and feedback on this - I'd mentioned the do to a number of people but didn't know about this thread until now.

As for the numbers, the old spiders would give around 90 xp per kill and the other mobs would give me around 44-48 (at level 13/14), which meant they gave around double.

However as has been mentioned they had abilities in place which were unresistable and unavoidable, could easily leave you stuck and unable to escape if 2-3 mobs then attacked so (in my opinion), they were worth more xp as they presented significantly more risk.

Now the spiders have weakened, the risk is far less so the xp reduction makes sense.

I personally don't mind which spiders we have as the upper dark area has been a refreshing change (especially for UD players), who have very little content right now to explore.

[Camera9]

Hi guys,
I just want to report something really weird about the critical hits of some creatures in the Upperdark:

1)
Location: Gauth Grottoes
Mobs: Batiri Stabber
Issue: I was fighting with AC 33 (of which 7 points are DEX, 4 are DODGE) and got hit but the Batiri confirmed the critical hit rolling a 1, with 15 attack bonus which is not enough to overcome my AC. I suffered 25 points of damage, here's the screen:



[I apologise my log it's still in Italian but you should understand the numbers ]

2)
Location: Titanfist Cave
Mobs: Titanfist Insurgent
Issue: here I was fighting with 38 AC (as before 7 DEX, 4 DODGE). The confirmation roll hit me with 35 AB. I suffered 32 points of damage. In this screen you can also see the mob couldn't hit me in the round before, with 35 AB.



In the beginning I thought: "Ok, they must have the Power Critical feat but it happened again with a lower AB! Here's the screen:



Pheraps I'm missing something but I'm being overwhelmed by critical hits in these areas +_+ If that's the case can you help me to understand what's going on? Thanks in advance ^_^